Bayelsa Assembly has passed 2019 Appropriation Bill

                            By Majesty Inegbagha

   The Bayelsa State House of Assembly in its plenary session on Thursday presided over by the Rt. Hon Speaker, Benson Friday Konbowei has passed the 2019 Appropriation Bill.

   The Bill which seeks to authorize the sum of  N299, 835,425,936.00 Billion only for the fiscal year contained estimates of revenue and expenditure.

      Highlights of the Bill include:

 Revenue Profile

Receipts:

Statutory Allocation                      - N 233,595,610,669.00

VAT                                           - N 9,796,403,415.00

Independent Revenue                    - N 20,739,451,550.00

Grants                                        - N 10,042,233,997.00

Loans                                         - N 25,661,726,305.00

Total Receipts                             - N 299,835,425,936.00

Expenditure Profile

Personnel Cost                             - N 47,189,998,587.00

Overhead Cost                             - N 65,794,035,907.00

Consolidated Revenue Fund Charges - N 71,110,000,000.00

Capital Expenditure                       - N 115,741,391,442.00

Total Expenditure                        - N 299,835,425,936.00

      

                                                                

                                                                         

   Speaking shortly after the passage of the bill, the speaker Rt Hon. Konbowei asserted emphatically that the bill will stand to serve all the sectors of Bayelsa State including the local governments.                The number one lawmaker of the state commended his colleagues and the Clerk of the House among the entire staff of the State House of Assembly including the press for the good gesture which created the enabling environment for the prompt passage of the bill.

   In another development, the State House of Assembly has adopted a proposal presented to the floor of the house by the Majority Leader, Hon Peter Pereotubo Akpe which sought the amendment of the standing order of the house.

  The proposal which was seconded by the deputy leader of the house Hon (Chief) Mitema Obordor, member representing  Ogbia Constituency one, was committed to the committee of whole house for deliberation in its next sitting day.

   Also on Thursday, the house have read for the first time a Health Insurance Bill tagged (BILL BYSHA/5B.58), 2019.